Day Four In The Big Apple

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This city is so amazing.  It  is huge.  Constantly in motion and people are everywhere.  Taxis fill the streets and I have to admit it is very clean, organized and well-run.  Mexico City should be so lucky.

On the downside of all this, everything is very expensive especially when compared to Mexico.  You can do just about anything on the cheap if you want but there are times when you don't always want to do that.  They sell food on the street.  One taco costs $2, rice and falafel $6.  We were with our host yesterday and we stopped for a coffee to warm up.  Three coffees, a small wedge of carrot cake and a small (small means minature here) brownie came to $16, at  a small corner-to-go cafe.   

Today we went to the Empire State Building.   A lot of fun.  All kinds of vendors and scalpers are there to get you the minute you walk off the subway.   The key is to keep your head down.  If you are looking up at the sky, it is a pretty sure bet you are a tourist.   We just minded our own business and kept walking to the building.  Sings on the front say Observatory and SkyRide are on Fifth Ave.   We turned the corner and more of the ticket army comes at you.   We kept strong and kept going.  We heard them ask people if they had tickets.  Those that answered "yes", were asked if they wanted to upgrade, or take the fast track.  We got into the lobby, and up we went.  We got to the ticket booths and they were very friendly.  $25 per ticket.  You have to go through security check like at the airport, through the museum, then have your picture taken where you then pay $20 to get a print when you leave.  She wasn't happy when we told her we didn't want our picture taken.  She told us it didn't cost anything to get it taken, she was right :)

As you can see from the panorama, the views are incredible.   Again, big is the only word we can use to describe the city.  On the deck, every language possible can be heard.  Everyone pointing at someone and then their camera in an attempt to get you take their picture for them.  Everyone reciprocates and you can then ask them where they are from.  We met French, Italians, Bangladeshi, Spaniards, Chinese, Russians and the list goes on.  Today the winds were high, the air ice cold but we braved it and stayed up top for about half an hour.

This is the lobby, and the last chance to get a picture taken.  As you leave the elevator, there is a glass-enclosed walkway where you see New Yorkers coming and going from the building and getting off and on the elevators.

 Be sure to click and enlarge the photos.

We did a walk-through of KMart at Penn Station, Macy's and then headed off to Tiffany's.   I really wanted to get my picture taken there.  Yesterday we ran out of battery, turns out the outlet I was charging on was dead.   The diamonds are beautiful along with all the other stones, their shapes and designs.

We stopped for a bite to eat at Joe's Shangai on 56th St.   Very nice place, small, quaint and expensive.   We had hot and sour soup and some spring rolls.  But I will go back there for steamed dumplings, but in the evening because that seems to be the atmosphere. 

Off we went headed home where we stopped to take a picture of the brownstone where we are staying.  Thanks Norb, he has been a very gracious host.   More on his flat later next week.